Review

Eric Korngold
Mein Sehnen, mein Wähnen: from Die Tote Stadt

Arranged by Denis Jiron

Brass choir and percussion: 4 B-flat trumpets (piccolo, flugelhorn), 4 F horns, solo trombone, tenor trombone, bass trombone, euphonium, tuba, triangle, glockenspiel

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Publisher: Cherry Classics Music
Date of Publication: 2020
URL: http://www.cherryclassics.com

Score and parts.

Primary Genre: Brass Ensemble - 6+ brass (choir)

Erich Wolfgang Korngold was born in Vienna in 1897 and died in Los Angeles in 1957. ‘The Dead City’ is an opera set in the Belgian City of Bruges during a cholera epidemic that ravaged it at the end of the 19th century. It was written during 1916-17, interrupted by a year of military service. This is Frank’s baritone aria from Act 2, Scene 3, telling of lost happiness - ‘My longing, my delusion.’ It is a sad and beautiful piece in waltz time. Its lyrical melodic writing and rich harmonies are typical of the late romantic style of the whole opera. Arranger Denis Jiron is a native of Los Angeles and is currently on faculty at California State University and acting second Trombone in the LA Philharmonic.

This arrangement is given in the original key of D-flat and is scored for four trumpets in B-flat, first doubling on piccolo and fourth on Flugelhorn, four horns in F, two tenor and one bass trombone, euphonium, tuba, triangle and glockenspiel, one player. First trombone part (solo) is in tenor clef, range c-g-flat¹, second in bass clef, A-flat-f¹. Cup mutes are indicated for second tenor and bass trombones, and for second, third and fourth trumpets; third also needs a straight mute.

This is quite a demanding work for first trombone, which plays the melody throughout with only six full measures of rest. First trumpet tops out at f³ with optional a-flat². Available sonorities in the ensemble are skillfully exploited and great care has been taken to achieve a good overall balance. The expression mark given at the top of the score is ‘Very Restrained.’ Parts were not submitted for review.